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Nutella Banana Fudge Pops

When I was 9 years old, my family purchased a summer membership to the local pool club, called Quidnesset. This was a exciting news for me and my sister; all of our friends from school went to Quidnesset, not to mention there was a swing set and a diving board and a little restaurant where you could order chicken fingers and french fries and hamburgers, to be eaten at the picnic tables set up around the pool. I remember devouring the first and second Harry Potter books on a lounge chair by the pool (pure bliss!) learning how to dive, and passing the test to be able to swim in the deep end. My days at the pool were usually capped off with a Fudgesicle from the snack bar, a fudge-y chocolate popsicle that would have to be consumed quickly as it melted almost as fast as you could eat it (occasional brain freeze aside though, my 9 year old self couldn't imagine anything more delicious after a long day of swimming). One day ran peacefully into the next, and it was an uncomplicated, carefree time, as childhood summers tend to be, before studying, grades, working, dating, and other factors of life as an adult get in the way.

But enough nostalgia, let's get to today's recipe! These fudge pops are similar to the Fudgesicles of my youth but slightly more sophisticated and with an Italian touch, thanks to the Nutella. They are as rich and fudge-y as ice cream (we are talking about frozen Nutella, after all) and banana and Nutella, as we know, are already flavor soulmates (evidenced here and here). If you're one of those "I don't like desserts that are too sweet" people, never fear -- the sweetness here is tempered by the slightly sour yogurt. And wait, there's more! These are beyond simple to make -- just blend all the ingredients together for a minute or two, pour the resulting mixture into popsicle molds, and stick them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Like this semifreddo, they give you all the frozen ice cream-y goodness without an ice cream maker, refreshing and satisfying when temperatures are high and the heat seems relentless. Finally, given that they are made with three ingredients that can ostensibly be eaten for breakfast, I retain that these make a perfectly acceptable breakfast option on a sweltering summer day.

A couple of notes: Use ripe bananas -- the ones where the skin is turning brown and you're not sure you want to eat them -- for the best banana flavor (bananas that are not ripe enough make these taste like not-ripe-banana fudge pops rather than Nutella Banana Fudge Pops). If you don't have popsicle molds, I recommend you buy them right away! They are not expensive and are a great investment for the Summer, allowing you to make things like Butterscotch Pudding Pops and Raspberry Yogurt Popsicles in addition to these beauties here. You can thank me later.

NUTELLA BANANA FUDGE POPSIngredients:1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Nutella4 ripe bananasDirections:Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor or until smooth. Distribute this mixture among the popsicle molds and snap on the lids or the popsicle sticks (depending on what kind of popsicle molds you've purchased). Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. For easy removal, place the popsicle mold inside a container filled with warm water. Wait a few seconds, then pull the popsicle out of the mold by gently gripping the handles. Makes about 6-10 pops, depending on the size of the popsicle molds.